A drug refinery raided and seized by government authorities on 20
November was actually owned and operated by a Burma Army run People’s
Militia Force (PMF) of Mong Zi, according to local sources.

Myawadi Daily

Mong Zi PMF is led by U Aung Khaing and his deputy Ah Liang aka Ah
Ying aka Ya Pafa. Most of its members are Palaung (Ta-ang), Wa and
Kokang who are not locally recruited. They receive K 30,000 ($ 30) per
month each.

Official media says 11 men were taken alive together with 22 assorted
weapons and drugs worth K 277.1 million ($ 277,100). Another co-owner
was said to be an ethnic Chinese identified as Wu Sang.

“The existence of factory was likely tipped off by Chinese authorities,” said one informed source.

Ah Liang, interrogated by the police, had reportedly testified that
the drugs belonged to U Ohn Khaing and that he (Ah Liang) and Wu Sang
had invested K 5 million ($ 5,000) each in the joint venture.

The PMFs’ involvement in drugs have been reported at length by SHAN
in its Shan Drug Watch 2011 report. The Burma Army, meanwhile, has
demanded that the Shan State Army (SSA) leaves the PMFs along, after its
fighters staged raids against the PMF refineries.